Word Origin & History

prefer late 14c., "to put forward or advance in rank or fortune, to promote," from L. praeferre "place or set before, carry in front," from prae- "before" + ferre "to carry, to place" (see infer). Meaning "to esteem (something) more than others" is recorded from late 14c. Original sense in English is preserved in preferment.

Example Sentences for preferred

Teaching experience is higher education strongly preferred.

When the apparatus was reintroduced two months later, the chimps reverted to their own culture's preferred method.

And within about ten minutes, even the sweet-blind mice preferred the sugar water.

Others quickly jumped in with their own preferred visions of prehistoric life.

Our tasters preferred the smoother texture that results from peeling the fruit.

The tip of our tongue loved sweet things, while the sides preferred sour.

Reach students using their preferred method of communication-and in their preferred language.

The capital would come in the form of non-voting preferred stock.

The moth people would have preferred more humidity, with thunderstorms threatening, if possible.